craig



3 Sheets-Sheet R. M. CRAIG Filed April 25, 1928 Feb. 19, 1929.

Feb. 19, 1929.

R. M. CRAIG smu Filed April 25, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .i w. n a

Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD M. CRAIG, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DIAGNOAD, INC., 011' NEXJV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SIGN.

Application filed April 25, 1928. Serial No. 272,838.

This invention relates to signs of that type in which the advertising matter is illuminated and possesses apparent motion.

The present invention provides a sign in which. the display elements are all stationary and the sign charanrtcrs are displayed in constantly changing light etlccts the order of the colors displayed being left to chance and the color eoinhii'iations likewise being determined lay chance.

The invention further aims to provide a sign of simple and compact construction in which the characters are displayed in sintillating color effects.

A further objectis to provide any illuminated sign having a refractive plate which may be readily adjusted towards or away from the Sign hearing sheet so as to increa or diminish the display area of the sign characters.

A further object is to provide a sign. the retracting plate of which is provided with a plurality of prisms which serve to collect the light rays and throw them out in parallel beams to the observer.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide an illuminated sign which operates with equally good results either as a daylight sign or for nignt display.

The invention is illustrated in the accompairvingdrawings and will he hereinafter fully set forth.

in the draw Figure 1 is apparatus embodyingthe present invention; Fig. S2 is an enla" '"l front elevation thereof indicating the ctft t upon the eye when the sign characters are illuminatei'l;

Fin. 3 is a ln'n'izontal section on the 3-3 of Fig. 2;

i ie'. l is an cnla ing a different posi shown in F in. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the sign sheet removed from the casing;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line GG of Fig. 3;

Fig. '4' a fragz nientarv elevation of the prismatic or refractive light transmitting); plate;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail horizontal section showing an arrangement of the sign sheet and the refractive plate varying in detrail from the arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

line

reed detail section show- L t ion of some of the parts perspective view of a sinn- Fie. 9 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a transverse section of the ar rangremeu'l. illustrated in Fig.1. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentarv elevation of a re- 1 live plate having a design different from that shown in the ot her tin'i'u'es. and

Fig. 12 is a detail of a lamp socket. in carrying out the invention. there is provided a ca sing I which will preferably be construrted of sheet metal in order to minimize weight and this casino has an open front side, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and l. At its front side the casing is provided with lateral flanges 2 and secured in any convenient manner upon the front face of said flanges is a frame 3 which may be of wood and. has its front side given an ogee formation, shown at 4, whereby to impart an ornamental finish to the apparatus. This frame 3 extends around all four margins of the front of the casing and is rahhcted, as shown at to receive and support the sign sheet and the refractive plate hereinafter more particularly desc ibed. The top n'iemher 6 of this front frame is n'eferahly left free of the side members and connected thereto at one end by a hinge T and held thereto at the opposite end by any convenient forn'i of latch. indicated at 8. this: arrangementfacilitating the insertion or removal of the sign sl'ieet and the re i'rm-tive plate. In the form of the invention shown moiparticularly in Figs. 3 and a re-cntrant tianp o 9 is 'l'orn'ici'l on the front. face oi the flange 2 whereby to provide a groove receiving; and holding the sign sheet, and the rahhct 5 of the front frame is of sullicient depth to :n-eommodate rack liars 10 which are slidahly mounted in sleeves 1]. provided therefor and extending through the flanges as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The front ends of the racks 10 are formed into grooved heads 12 receiving the refractive plate 13 and in the upper sides of the sleeves ll are longitudinal slots 14 acconmiodatino pinions 15 at the inner ends of shafts 16 mounted in bearings 17 provided therefor on the backs of the respective flanges 2 and equipped at their outer ends with knurled heads 18 whereby they may be easily turned. lly rotating the heads 18. the pinions 15 will likewise he rotated and the refractive plate 3 will, consequently, be set closer to or farther from the Sign sheet held in the re-entrant flanges 9. The sign sheet is identified upon the drawings by the reference numeral and consists of a sheet of opaque materi having perforations formed therethro in any desired relation whereby to proa si n characters and, in addition to for 1 letters and words, these pertorations so formed as to produce ornamental ch actors, as indicated at 21 in Fig. The sh 19 may be of paper or any other suitable in terial, and, in actual practice, I employ a type of partly perfora ed paper now on the market as a comn'ierci l article and produce sign characters by completing; selected acrforations. Inasmuch as paper and like n w terial will not stand on cogs, l provin parent plates which are arranged the opposite faces of the sign et and thereby keep the same flat and in an upright position when in the sign, it being; once that the transparent plates and the perforatec sign sheet are assembled and then slid into the flanges 9, as will be "fully understooo upon reference to Figs. 3 and l, it being noted upon reference to said figures that the combin d thicknesses of the several sheets or plates is such that they will fit closely within the grooved flanges 9 and will be thereby held stationary when the apparatus is in use. T he retr. ctivc plate may be either transparent or translu cent and has its outer face covered with parallel diagonal lines 23, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7, the surfaces between the parallel lines being faceted so as to produce alternate depressions and projections, shown in Fi l, whereby the front display face of this plate will constitute a plurality prisms. Consequently, the lightpassing through the plate will be retracted and divided into colored rays. The diagonal disposition of the boundary lines 23 is preferable as have found that thereby the desired ellect prol is all duccd with certainty, whereas it these lines run parallel with the margins oi the pin e the elilict produced is notv so striking; and is uncertain. The invention. however.v is not confined to a retracting plate havi regggular prisms formed upon its display sur. 'e and l may use the plate indicated in which the surface is formed with boundaries whereby representations tl ers, as indicated at 25, or other ornamental designs may be produced.

lVithin the casing 1 at the rear of the sign sheet, a plurality of electric lamps 26 is mounted thereon, these lamps being of the usual formation but having colored. bulbs, the adjacent lamps having different colors, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 6, and it is also to be noted that the lamps are so arranged that no one lamp will extend into the path of the rays projected by any other lamp toward the sign sheet. The lamps are mounted within, the easingin the usual manneat changes. Ti lien the current passing to the lamp through the therniial 8l.l11l; heats the clen'ient to a certain degree, element will expand so that it will sprin 1 y from iheix y cal; the circuit nd when it cools iiii engage .1act and the lamp wiL i gized. It will thus be seen that the thermal element each lamp is entirely independent 5 the cor-ersponding element at every other lamp and, therefore, the flashing oi? lamps will not 0 *our in any predetermined sequence but will occur pr miscuously so that infinite coinbin ions of lightening and darkening ef- :t'ects Will be attained. It desired, however, certain of the lamps may burn steadily ant. others flash intermittently. The casing entirely surrounds the lamps and is provided at various points with ventilating openings 30.

Vhen the apparatus is in use, the lie'ht rays from all the lamps will pass to the sign s.1eeand thence through the character forming perforations of the same so as to meet the refractive plate 13, and the lamp bulbs are colored and are differently colored there will be a commingling oi rays in various combinations at tie perforations, it very seldom occurring that only one lamp is illuminated but the color combinations are constantly varying inasmuch as the flashing oi the lights is preferably nomiscuous or ind scriminai" The characters displayed at the re sheet consequently have a scintillating ol'lect, as indicated in Fig. 2, an l this scintillating effect is enhanced. by the prininatic action ot the refractive plate. lt is to be noted that the action oit the prinmatic plate to further vary the color binations of the display light, and it will also be noted that the display area or the charactors may varied by properly adjusting the refractive plate 13. ll this plate be moved away from the sign sheet, there will be a substantial enlargen'ient of the effecti e display area oi? the characters but if the relradtive plate be moved closer to or against the sign sheet the area of the displayed characters will be diminished and the characters stand out clear and distinct. It d sired, the refractive plate may be arranged stationary and th sign sheet adjusted, the eiiect produced being the same in both cases.

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Wall 01 Whic psr'i' ted s1 in the 0:19 10 Sign sheet.

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11-011 11 d mitt-tin ate 11mm V 0 easing 1193111; trans Sheet 1 acuers iOi'S may be displayed by llie L'OfIZICidYQ plate 111 constantly changing colors.

15. An illuminated sign comprising :1 cas- 1112' a '11 medium disposed within llie ens ing; and having OPBillllgS therein constituting display characters. a plurality oil intermittently flashing dififerent colored elerlrie lamps armnged the rear of the sign medium. and a. translucent plate disposed in front of the sign medium and having its exposed fee-e 0 RICHARD M. CRAIG. [n s] 

